- WILD cherry is a sweet sour fruit commonly and directly consumed as fresh salad.
- Though this fruit is small and tastes sweet abd sour, it offers several advantages for maintaining our health.
Maybe not many people know this wild cherry fruit because it belongs to a wild plant. It generally grows in garden fences, riverbanks and similar areas. The fruit is small round and grows like a grape. The fruit grows in a single long stalk like a chain.
When young, the fruits are greenish white. As it ripens, it then turns red and when fully ripe, the fruit turns blackish red.
The taste of wild cherry
This wild cherry fruit with the Latin name Antidesma bunius has a refreshing sweet and sour taste. In Indonesia, each region calls it by different names such as Boni (Balinese), Huni (Sundanese) and Wuni (Javanese).
In ancient times, this fruit was usually eaten directly or added with salt and chilies only or just enjoyed as a simple dessert which is fresh from the tree.
Sometimes, it is used to make salad or rujak ulek or crushed in a bamboo log which is of course filled with simple spices such as chilies, salt and palm sugar. After it is crushed (excluding the seeds) and mixed with the seasonings, then it is ready to be served. The crushed fruit pulp will produce a delicious salad dressing.
During its season, this fruit is usually easy to find because it is widely sold on the side of the road near where it is harvested, salad stalls, traditional markets and supermarkets.
Even though this wild cherry fruit is small, who would have thought that behind its tiny shape it contains various properties. Based on research, this fruit contains many nutrients that are very beneficial for the human body.
Benefits for health
This fruit contains many nutrients such as Vitamin C, Provitamin A (carotenoids), Vitamin B1, Vitmain B2, Vitamin E, iron minerals, and phosphorus, potassium and fibers, alkaloids and friendelin. On that account, it is very useful for maintaining health as follows:
1. Skin rejuvenation
The content of Vitamins C and E is useful for maintaining skin health to increase the degeneration process, nourish the skin, rejuvenate the skin, and can remove dead skin cells.
2. Treating boils and itching
Helps to deal with various skin diseases such as itching due to allergies, itching due to mosquito bites, ulcers, and acne because it has anti-inflammatory and diuretic properties.
As an external medicine, it is useful for treating wounds and itching. Apply the crushed fruits or crushed leaves to the wound.
3. Body immunity
High doses of vitamin C in wild cherry can increase endurance. In addition, it is also rich in fiber which can maintain the health of the digestive tract and prevent colon cancer.
4. Streamlining the digestive tract
This fiber-rich fruit is good for regular consumption to supply fiber needs in the body. In addition, this fruit is also able to smooth the digestive tract and prevent constipation.
5. Prevent cancer
This fruit contains antioxidants that can help counteract the effects of free radicals, prevent and reduce the growth of cancer cells.
